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University of Cincinnati freshman lineman dies in accident

CINCINNATI — A freshman offensive lineman for Cincinnati was killed and two freshman receivers were injured in a one-vehicle accident following the Bearcats' 14-0 win over Miami of Ohio on Saturday night in nearby Oxford.

Ben Flick of Hamilton, Ohio, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which occurred south of Oxford.

Receivers Mark Barr of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and Javon Harrison of Dayton, Ohio, were taken by helicopter to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Barr and the driver of the vehicle — whose identity has not been released — were listed in critical condition. Harrison was in stable condition.

The three players are redshirting and didn't dress for the game or travel with the team. They were returning from Oxford, located 25 miles north of Cincinnati.

"I can't put into words how tragic this is," coach Tommy Tuberville said in a statement. "As a father and a coach, it's something you hope you never have to go through.

"Ben was so proud to be a part of this team and university. He worked hard and had shown a great deal of improvement since the summer. His future was bright. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Flick family on their loss. We also hope and pray for Mark and Javon to recover from their injuries."

The 6-foot-6, 272-pound Flick was a guard at Hamilton High School, where he made the All-Greater Miami Conference second team as a senior.

Barr is a 6-foot-1, 163-pound receiver who caught 33 passes for 741 yards while helping St. Thomas Aquinas win a Florida state title as a senior. Harrison was a receiver and quarterback at Huber Heights Wayne in suburban Dayton. Harrison enrolled at Cincinnati in January and participated in spring football.

The Bearcats have a bye week following their win in Oxford.

"Our hearts go out to all the families involved," athletics director Whit Babcock said. "We are doing all we can to help and support them along with the rest of our student-athletes."

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